ST. LOUIS, MO – May 19, 2017 -- The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis and some of the city’s most highly awarded chefs will collaborate this summer to present the first-ever Savor for Students – a grand tasting culinary celebration like no other, with proceeds to benefit LIFT FOR LIFE ACADEMY.

Scheduled for Thursday, June 29 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., the gala tasting marks the first time this stellar line-up of James Beard nominees and culinary luminaries have cooked together and served the public, all in the same place. The lively evening will feature meet-and-greets, culinary conversation and tapas-style tastes prepared and presented by the following chefs and restaurants:

Sidney Street Café and Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Co. – Kevin Nashan

Nathaniel Reid Bakery – Nathaniel Reid

Olive and Oak – Jesse Mendica

The Ritz-Carlton – Jeanine Edmonds-Mott

La Patisserie Chouquette – Simone Faure

Cleveland Heath – Eric Heath

The Ritz-Carlton – Jayshree Nathoo

Farmhaus – Kevin Willman

Mai Lee – Qui Tran

The Ritz-Carlton – Melissa Lee

Admission to this inaugural culinary event is priced at $99 USD per person and includes tastes, musical entertainment and a one-of-a-kind chance to mingle with great chefs and foodies from throughout the region. Beer, wine and spirits, and complimentary parking are also included in the ticket price.

Savor for Students was conceptualized by Melissa Lee, Executive Assistant Manager – Culinary/Food & Beverage for The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis, and a supporter of LIFT FOR LIFE ACADEMY. Her invitation to the participating chefs was simple: “Please help us to make a difference in the lives of children in St. Louis. With your support, we can ignite the passion in these young hearts, to encourage and inspire them to pursue their dreams.”

About LIFT FOR LIFE ACADEMY: LIFT FOR LIFE ACADEMY, which opened in 2000 as the first independent charter school in the city of St. Louis, serves students in grades 6-12 from throughout the city. The Academy offers a private school atmosphere, while all programs and services are provided at no cost to students and their families.

An important part of the LIFT FOR LIFE ACADEMY focus is nutrition. The school provides balanced, nutritious meals free of charge, five days a week, as part of its program. For hundreds of children, it’s their only opportunity to get a meal each day. Additionally, LIFT FOR LIFE ACADEMY's community partners from Washington University Medical School have developed a healthy eating after-school program for sixth graders - where students have the opportunity to learn about My Plate, healthy recipes, portion control and reading food labels. LIFT FOR LIFE ACADEMY is located in the historic Soulard neighborhood at 1731 South Broadway, and supported by both state and federal funding and through fundraising. Total student enrollment, currently, is 580.